Posts Tagged ‘dealer wins ties’

Blackjack, though a pretty simple game, has a wide range of variations. Even in the traditional game, there are variations on whether the dealer hits a soft 17, whether you can double after splitting, which cards you can double, what side bets are offered and more. One variation that is disastrous to the player is a rule where the dealer wins all ties.

Casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City rarely, if ever, have blackjack tables with this rule and most online casinosdon’t have it, either. This rule variation is primarily found on cruise ships and similar places where gambling isn’t the main draw. They are also often found at charity events. If it’s for charity, then you shouldn’t feel bad about losing the extra money due to this rule. You can consider it a donation. If you’re not playing at a charity event, though, there’s nothing smart about giving extra money to the house. Don’t worry about their finances; they will take plenty of your money without you throwing some away.

Traditionally, a tie in blackjack is a push, which means that you get to keep your original wager but you don’t win any money. Having a rule where the dealer wins all ties means that in all of those situations, you will lose money. This can have a considerable effect on your payroll.

You might be thinking that it’s not a big deal, since you’re going to lose some money anyway. The truth is, this rule variation has a huge affect on your bankroll. Ties happen more often than you might expect in blackjack. A rule where the dealer wins ties increases the house edge by 9%. Keep in mind that under normal rules, if you play perfect blackjack basic strategy, you can reduce the house edge to 0.5%. If the dealer wins ties, though, that means the house edge would be 9.5%. Pretty big difference, right?

For this reason, I advise you to never play at a blackjack table where the dealer wins all ties. The only exception would be at a charity event, in which case you simply need to decide how much money you want to donate ahead of time. Other than that, stay far, far away from these tables. Even if they’re hurting for money, the house doesn’t need your charity.